Smoked Sausage and Black Bean Stew

Coming up with dinner plans a few days before grocery weekend can be discouraging.  I thawed 2 packs of turkey smoked sausage with absolutely no clue what to do with them.  Yeah, yeah, I could have made the sweet and sour sausage dish previously posted, but you know me...I like variety...can't stomach the same dish in one month!  I tried a novel concept this time...I browsed the sausage manufacturer site (Butterball) for recipe ideas.  Of course, the recipe had to match ingredients I had on hand.  I found a ton of pasta and sausage recipe, but I was all out of pasta.  I needed a rice and sausage recipe desperately or we were having hot dogs tonight.  This one was a winner!  Surprisingly even I had a second helping which is very unusual.  Remember this makes enough to feed a family of 6 for 2 days/dinners, so if you're making it for a smaller crowd, just cut the recipe in half.  Enjoy!

You will need:

1 tbsp. olive oil

2-16 oz. pks. turkey smoked sausage, sliced 1/2" thick (can use pork or beef)

2 medium onions, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2-15 oz. cans diced tomatoes, drained (I used one with spices added)

2-15 oz. cans black beans

3 tsp. chili powder (I used Mexican chili powder for extra kick)

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1. In a large pan or dutch oven, heat oil on medium heat and saute sausage until brown (about 8 minutes).
2. Add onion, peppers and garlic to the pan and cook until vegetables are soft.
3. Add remaining ingredients to the pan and stir until well blended.
4. Cover and cook until heated throughout (about 6 minutes).
5. Serve hot over rice.